Prisoners of conscience:

It is hard to compile a list of prisoners of conscience in Saudi Arabia. In the absence of a safe environment for human rights work, it is impossible to monitor and record all of the arbitrary arrests made for people’s opinions or beliefs. Here, however, are the names and brief details, regularly updated, of the most prominent prisoners of conscience, together with other detainees for whom full information is unavailable, but who are generally considered to be prisoners of conscience.

Waleed Sami Abu Al-Khair

Date of arrest: April 15, 2014

Place of arrest: The Specialised Criminal Court (SCC)

Manner of arrest: While Waleed was in court, attending the fifth session of his trial, the judge issued an order for his arrest pending the outcome of the case. He was sent to al-Ha’ir Prison without the knowledge of his family or lawyer.

Sentence: 15 years in prison without suspension, a ban on foreign travel for a further 15 years after expiry of his prison term, and a fine of SR200,000 ($53,000; £43,000)

Court: The SCC

Date of sentencing: June 6, 2014

Charges against him: “Showing contempt for the judiciary”, “communicating with foreign parties”, “calling for a constitutional monarchy”, “using the media to distort the country’s reputation”, and “stirring up public opinion against the country’s ruling system”.

Present location: Dhahban Prison

See also:

Fadhel Mekki Al-Manasef

Date of arrest: October 2, 2011

Place of arrest: Awamiyah police station

Manner of arrest: When the police arrested the fathers of two wanted men, Fadhel went to talk to the police and tell them that this was illegal. One of the fathers had a heart attack, and Fadhel called the Red Crescent. Fadhel was subsequently arrested and taken next day to the Mabaheth (General Investigations Directorate) in Dammam.

Sentence: 15 years in prison, a 15-year travel ban and a fine of SR100,000 ($26,500; £22,500)

Court: Fadhel was brought before the Specialised Criminal Court four times between June 2011 and September 2012, twice in Riyadh and twice at the SCC’s summer base in Jeddah, on matters dating back to 2009. On the last occasion, his case was postponed indefinitely.

Date of sentencing: April 17, 2014

Charges against him: Rebelling against rules, undermining the country’s security and stability, creating discord among the general public, and fomenting sectarianism by inciting people to take part in demonstrations and marches; producing, storing and publishing material prejudicial to public order and morality by means of social media activities outlawed under the Anti-Cybercrime Law; communicating with foreign media organisations hostile to the government and people of Saudi Arabia; participating in the establishment of a banned organisation (a network of human rights activists) that incites public opinion against the ruler, foments sectarian discord and communicates with foreign parties; co-signing a memorandum directly slandering the government; and causing two security vehicles to be attacked in an attempt to obstruct the security forces in the performance of their duties.

Charges against him: Participating in the establishment of an unlicensed association, seeking to undermine state policies, providing false information about Saudi Arabia to UN bodies dealing with human rights, inciting international organisations to criticise Saudi Arabia, mobilising public opinion against the security forces and senior officials by accusing them of human rights violations, calling the judiciary unjust, impugning the integrity and piety of the country’s senior religious scholars, insulting state officials, trying to create divisions within society, and rebelling against the ruler.

Present location: Al-Ha’ir Prison, Riyadh

See also:

Dr Abdullah Al-Hamid

Date of arrest: March 9, 2013

Place of arrest: The Specialised Criminal Court (SCC) in Riyadh

Manner of arrest: Following the SCC’s verdict

Sentence: The SCC sentenced Abdullah in the ACPRA trial to 5 years in prison in addition to the remaining portion of a sentence handed down previously – in a case involving Abdullah and two other reformers – making a total of 11 years, and a further 5-year travel ban.

Court: The SCC in Riyadh

Date of sentencing: March 9, 2013

Charges against him: Participating in the establishment of an unlicensed association, seeking to undermine state policies, providing false information about Saudi Arabia to UN bodies dealing with human rights, inciting international organisations to criticise Saudi Arabia, mobilising public opinion against the security forces and senior officials by accusing them of human rights violations, calling the judiciary unjust, impugning the integrity and piety of the country’s senior religious scholars, insulting state officials, trying to create divisions within society, and rebelling against the ruler.

Present location: Al-Ha’ir Prison, Riyadh

See also:

Dr Abdulrahman Al-Hamid

Date of arrest: April 17, 2014

Place of arrest: The Criminal Investigation Department (CID)

The manner of arrest: Abdurrahman was summoned to the CID by telephone, and after he had gone there his son was informed that there was an arrest warrant against him.

Sentence: 9 years in prison and a fine of SR50,000 ($13,300; £11,200)

Court: The Specialised Criminal Court

Date of sentencing: October 13, 2015

Charges against him: Stirring up public opinion, spreading chaos and calling for demonstrations, insulting the authorities, and participating in the establishment of an unlicensed organisation (ACPRA).

Present location: Malaz Prison, Riyadh

See also:

Dr Abdulkareem Al-Khoder

Date of arrest: April 24, 2013

Place of arrest: The Criminal Court in Buraydah

Manner of arrest: By the court

Sentence: 10 years in prison and a travel ban of similar duration

Court: The Specialised Criminal Court

Date of sentencing: October 19, 2015

Charges against him: Disobeying the ruler, incitement against the regime, distorting the image of the state and disseminating false information to foreign parties, and participating in the establishment of an unlicensed association (ACPRA)

Present location: Buraydah criminal prison

See also:

Fawzan Al-Harbi

Date of arrest: November 19, 2014

Place of arrest: The Specialised Criminal Court (SCC)

Manner of arrest: By the court

Sentence: 10 years in prison followed by a travel ban of similar duration

Court: The SCC

Date of sentencing: November 19, 2014

Charges against him: Disobeying the ruler, distorting the image of the state, and participating in the establishment of an unlicensed association (ACPRA)

Present location: Al-Ha’ir criminal prison, Riyadh

See also:

Saleh Al-Ashwan

Date of arrest: July 7, 2012

Place of arrest: The street

Manner of arrest: Saleh was arrested coming out from dawn prayer

Sentence: 5 years in prison with a travel ban of similar duration

Court: The Specialised Criminal Court

Date of sentencing: Unconfirmed

Charges against him: Stirring up public opinion, spreading chaos, insulting the authorities

Present location: Al-Ha’ir political prison, Riyadh

See also:

Suleiman Al-Rashoudi

Date of arrest: November 12, 2012

Place of arrest: Picked up on the street

The manner of arrest: Hours after delivery of a lecture by Suleiman entitled “Demonstrations in Islamic Sharia”, two civilian vehicles turned up and he was arrested.

Sentence: 15 years in prison followed by a further 15-year travel ban

Court:

Date of sentencing: November 22, 2011

Charges against him: Plotting to form a group that would plan an insurrection against the ruler

Tawfiq Al-Amer

Date of arrest: August 18, 2011

Place of arrest: Picked up on the street in al-Hasa

Manner of arrest: Tawfiq was arrested in al-Hasa on his way home from the mosque after maghreb prayer. He was stopped on the road and taken away to an unknown location. After constant searching for nearly a week it was discovered that he was in the public jail in Dammam.

Sentence: 8 years in jail followed by a 10-year travel ban on his release, together with a ban on public speaking.

Court: The Specialised Criminal Court

Date of sentencing: August 2014

Charges against him: Criticising the monarchy, stirring up dissent, calling for change, and issuing fatwas against the ruler

Present location: Al-Ha’ir criminal prison, Riyadh

See also:

Abdulaziz Al-Sunaidi

Date of arrest: February 8, 2015

Place of arrest: At a petrol station

Manner of arrest: Abdulaziz was snatched by a group of plainclothes officers

Sentence: 8 years in prison followed by a further 8-year travel ban, and a fine of SR50,000 ($13,300; £11,200)

Court: The Specialised Criminal Court

Date of sentencing: October 2015

Charges against him: Incitement against public order and signing a petition calling for demonstrations, insulting the king, spreading chaos, and using his Twitter account to stir up public opinion

Present location: Buraydah criminal prison

See also:

Mohannad Al-Mohaimeed

Date of arrest: November 28, 2012

Place of arrest: Opposite the Labour Ministry office in Buraydah

Manner of arrest: Mohannad was arrested during a sit-in, and beaten while being arrested

Sentence: 10 years in prison followed by a travel ban of similar duration, and a fine of SR100,000 ($26,500; £22,500)

Court: The Specialised Criminal Court

Date of sentencing: March 9, 2014

Charges against him: Taking part in a sit-in, taking photos of the sit-in with intent to publish them, lack of respect for the authorities, and insulting officials

Present location: Tarfiyah Prison, Qassim

See also:

Khaled Al-Omair

Date of arrest: January 1, 2009

Place of arrest: Nahda Road, Riyadh

Manner of arrest: Khaled was arrested during a sit-in in support of Gaza

Sentence: 8 years in prison

Court: The Specialised Criminal Court

Date of sentencing: May 2011

Charges against him: Taking part and inviting others to take part in a sit-in, and rebelling against the ruler

Alaa Brinji

Date of arrest: May 12, 2014

Place of arrest: at a checkpoint on his way to Bahrain with his wife.

Manner of arrest: He was arrested by members of the security forces, some of them in civilian clothes, at a checkpoint on his way to Bahrain with his wife. He was taken to the General Directorate of Investigations (GDI, also known as al-Mabahith) prison in Dammam, where he is still detained.

Sentence: 7 years in prison and a fine of SR50,000 ($13,300; £11,200), an 8-year travel ban and closure of his Twitter account

Court: The Specialised Criminal Court

Date of sentencing: March 24, 2016

Charges against him: “Insulting the rulers”, “stirring up public opinion”, “accusing security officers of killing demonstrators in Awamiyah” in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia

Present location:

See also:

Ashraf Fayadh

Date of arrest: January 2014

Place of arrest: A café in Abha

Manner of arrest: Ashraf was arrested during a gathering in a café in the city of Abha

Sentence: 8 years in prison and 800 lashes, reduced from an earlier sentence of execution

Court: The General Court in Abha

Date of sentencing: In April 2014 the court sentenced Ashraf to 4 years in prison and 800 lashes, but on appeal the General Court in Abha sentenced him, on November 17, 2015, to execution on a charge of apostasy. On February 2, 2016 the previous sentence was quashed and reduced to 8 years in prison and 800 lashes.

Charges against him: Apostasy, blasphemy, and criticising the political authorities

Present location: Abha Prison

See also:

Raif Badawi

Date of arrest: June 17, 2012

Place of arrest: A supermarket in Jeddah

The manner of arrest: Raif was arrested then detained by the Saudi authorities at Nuzha police station in Jeddah. He was initially accused of “filial disobedience” but the charges against him were later changed.

Sentence: 1,000 lashes and 10 years in prison, as well as a fine of SR1 million ($267,000; £215,000), according to the latest sentence against him, passed on May 7, 2014 and amending a previous sentence, issued on July 29, 2013, of 7 years in prison, 600 lashes and closure of the Free Saudi Liberals website

Court: The General Court in Jeddah

Date of sentencing: May 7, 2014

Charges against him: Insulting Islam, violating the Saudi anti-cybercrime regulations by creating a website prejudicial to public order, and helping others to do so. The number of posts on the website that insulted members of the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice and some religious scholars was cited in evidence.

Present location: Dhahban Prison, Jeddah

See also:

Dr Zuhair Kutbi

Date of arrest: July 15, 2015

Place of arrest: His home in Mecca

The manner of arrest: Six black 4×4 vehicles carrying at least nine masked security personnel arrived at Dr Kutbi’s home in Mecca on the morning of July 15, 2015. They beat him on the back with their rifle butts while taking him away to an unknown detention centre before he was moved to Dhahban Prison in Jeddah for a day. On the third day they transferred him to Mansour police station for questioning, and over the course of the next eight days, they moved him around between three detention centres in Mecca.

Sentence: 4 years in prison, a ban on writing, publishing or making media appearances for 15 years, and a fine of SR100,000 ($26,600), with a 2-year stay of execution of the prison sentence because of his failing health.

Court: The Specialised Criminal Court

Date of sentencing: December 21, 2015

Charges against him: Stirring up public opinion, fomenting dissent, and undermining respect for authority

Present location: Mecca Penitentiary

See also:

Wajdi Ghazzawi

Date of arrest: August 10, 2012

Place of arrest: Near the mosque after Friday prayer, Jeddah

The manner of arrest: Toward the end of 2011, the Saudi authorities contacted Sheikh Wajdi through Dr Abdulaziz Khoja, who was Minister of Information at the time. They asked him to return to Saudi Arabia and end his Fadhfadha awareness campaign on satellite TV and offered him a guarantee of full immunity from any legal consequences. The promise of immunity was subsequently confirmed by the Interior Minister, Deputy Crown Prince Mohamed bin Nayef. On the basis of these promises, Wajdi returned to Saudi Arabia in November of that year. He was met at the airport by representatives of Prince Mohamed bin Nayef, but within a week of his return, Wajdi realised that he was under house arrest and barred from leaving the capital, Riyadh. After that, his interrogation by the Public Prosecutor began, and he was transferred between Mecca and Jeddah under escort and heavy restraint until August 10, 2012, when he was arrested after Friday prayer in a rough and violent manner.

Sentence: 12 years in jail followed by a 20-year travel ban

Court: The Specialised Criminal Court

Date of sentencing: February 3, 2014

Charges against him: Distorting the image of the Saudi kingdom; producing, storing and sending material prejudicial to public order; stirring up dissent; incitement against the ruler; accusing the government of corruption; claiming that the kingdom follows a policy of slavery, and communicating with and receiving support from hostile parties.

Present location: Mecca Penitentiary

See also:

Mohammed Al-Wadani

Date of arrest: March 4, 2011

Place of arrest: At Al-Rajhi Mosque, during a sit-in

Manner of arrest: Mohammed was kicked, beaten and dragged into a police car

Sentence: A 15-year prison term and travel ban

Court: The Specialised Criminal Court in Riyadh

Date of sentencing: September 5, 2013

Charges against him: Calling for the overthrow of the regime, calling for the release of political prisoners, and taking part in a sit-in

Present location: Al-Ha’ir Prison

See also:

Jaber Al-Amri

Date of arrest: April 13, 2014

Place of arrest: Riyadh, at his home, setting out to see his father in hospital

The manner of arrest: More than 15 persons, some of them armed, ambushed Jaber as he started his car. This was after he had posted a video clip showing the suffering of his sick father and his brother in detention.

Sentence: 7 years in prison and a 7-year travel ban on release, and a fine of SR50,000 ($13,300; £11,200)

Charges against him: Disseminating material prejudicial to public order, accusing the state of failing to apply Islamic law, and stirring up public opinion

Present location: Riyadh Penitentiary, the new prison at Al-Ha’ir

See also:

Fahd Al-Arini

Date of arrest: February 2016

Place of arrest: His home

The manner of arrest: Fahd was apprehended at home after returning from evening prayer; the Authorities stormed and searched his house, intimidated his family and broke some of their possessions before taking him to prison.

Sentence: Ten years in prison

Court: The Specialised Criminal Court in Riyadh

Date of sentencing: November 2016

Charges against him: Defaming the ruler and criticising the Minister of Interior.

Present location: Malaz Prison, Riyadh

See also:

Yahya Wadi’i

Date of arrest: 2013

Place of arrest: On the streets of Riyadh

The manner of arrest: He was stopped in the middle of the street and taken into detention.

Sentence: Yahya was given an initial sentence of six years in prison pending further sentencing.

Court: The Specialised Criminal Court in Riyadh

Date of sentencing: 2016

Charges against him: Calling for reform and the release of prisoners of conscience

Present location: Shaar Prison, Abha

See also:

Ibrahim Al-Turki

Date of arrest: Unconfirmed

Place of arrest: The General Investigations Directorate (Mabaheth)

The manner of arrest: Ibrahim was called into the Mabaheth for questioning and then arrested.

Sentence: Five years in prison, suspended for half of that period

Court: The Specialised Criminal Court

Date of sentencing: September 2016

Charges against him: Publishing an article in which he criticised the reduced role of the Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, and inciting public opinion

Present location: Al-Ha’ir Prison, Riyadh

See also:

Salem Al-Malki

Date of arrest: September 1, 2016

Place of arrest: On the street, in the Jazan region

The manner of arrest: Salem was apprehended by border guards, who handed him over to the police, because of his protests against a decree ordering the forced evacuation of villages on the border with Yemen.

Sentence:

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Date of sentencing:

Charges against him:

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Dr Mohamed Al-Hodaif

Date of arrest: March 19, 2016

Place of arrest: King Khaled International Airport, Riyadh

Manner of arrest: The Saudi authorities apprehended Dr Hodhaif at Riyadh Airport on his return from Turkey following tweets critical of the UAE, which are thought to be the reason for his detention

Sentence: He has not been tried (unconfirmed)

Court:

Date of sentencing:

Charges against him:

Present location: Malaz Prison

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Dr Abdulaziz Al-Tarefe

Date of arrest: April 22-23, 2016

Place of arrest:

The manner of arrest:

Sentence: He has not been tried (unconfirmed)

Court:

Date of sentencing:

Charges against him:

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Ibrahim Al Sakran

Date of arrest: June 3, 2016

Place of arrest: His home (unconfirmed)

Manner of arrest: Some sources say he was arrested inside his home by the Mabaheth (General Investigations Directorate) (unconfirmed)

Sentence: He is still on trial

Court: The Specialised Criminal Court in Riyadh

Date of sentencing: None as yet; the trial began on December 5, 2016

Charges against him: Tweeting and posting a video six years ago in which he talked about rallies calling for the release of detainees. He has been accused of damaging the fabric of society by slandering organs of the State, belittling their achievements and inciting public opinion. He is also accused of interfering in the affairs of other countries by insulting the Presidents of the UAE and Egypt.